Druidism
'''Old Kordynian Paganism '''is a religion based out of the Imperial Heartland of the Empire of Kordowyn, however it is followed in the neighboring Duchy of Creneash and Kingdom of Auchinmore as well. The faith is still practiced in all three of these regions, however it has deteriorated significantly since Badger's Landing in 0 KOR, being mostly replaced by the Acrenian Church (until it was disbanded in Kordowyn in 93 KOR), which pushed the faith to primarily be pursued in the rural areas of Kordowyn. The faith continues to be relatively strong in Creneash and Auchinmore, however. Interest in the faith in the Heartland has been rising since Emperor Arthwr III enacted the 234 Kordynian Culture Acts. Old Kordynian Paganism has no organization, with deities and even beliefs and practices differing significantly between certain areas; however, quite a bit remains the same across practitioners, such as the worship of local deities (some of which were worshiped by a wide variety of practitioners), the importance of the druids, the importance of nature, and the belief in the "Annwn", meaning "Otherworld". Deities The faith contains hundreds of deities, most of which are worshiped locally, however a handful of deities are worshiped by all followers of the religion. Y Ddraig Goch Y Ddraig Goch (literally "The Red Dragon") is one of the most important and widely worshiped deities, with the Dragon appearing prominently on the Imperial Coat of Arms of Kordowyn. According to legend, the Red Dragon once ruled benevolently over the Kordynian people, until one day Y Ddraig Wen ("The White Dragon") appeared, in hopes of conquering Kordowyn and ruling with an iron fist. The Red Dragon fought with the White Dragon for three years to defend the Kordynian people, before finally killing the White Dragon and banishing it to the Otherworld. However, the Red Dragon quickly succumbed to his own wounds, and died as well. The Red Dragon, now in death, rules over the Otherworld, preparing to return to defend Kordowyn should the White Dragon ever return. Every summer, valuables are sacrificed, and sent to the Otherworld in order to pay tribute to the Red Dragon for his noble sacrifice. Y Ddraig Wen The White Dragon represents greed and evil, and as mentioned previously wishes to control Kordowyn as a tyrant. After his death, the White Dragon was banished to the Otherworld, where he schemes to one day return to exact his revenge. Other Dragons There are various other dragons who are worshiped in localized areas, and are believed to protect the regions where they're worshipped. Y Ddraig Borffor ("The Purple Dragon"), for example, is the protector of the region County Pryce now lies in, and features on County Pryce's flag, and is also partly responsible for the common use of purple in Kordynian symbolism. List of Other Common Deities = Druids The druids are the priests of the old faith, though in modern times it's estimated that there are less than 100. The druids perform rituals and oversee sacrifices, as well as provide philosophical and religious assistance to practitioners of the faith. Long prior to the arrival of the Acrenians, the druids were held in high esteem and often held positions in the courts of Kordynian rulers. It was once believed that the druids practiced magic, and were also sorcerers, however this belief died out many years before the arrival of the Acrenians. Annwn Annwn, also known as the "Otherworld", is where it is believed that people go after death. The Otherworld is believed to be inhabited by the gods and deities of the faith, as well as various beasts and creatures. It's believed that the spirits of those who Ankou (God of Death) deems are "good people" (typically through treating their fellow man, and most importantly nature with care and respect) live in peace in the Court of the Red Dragon, while those who are not are sent to the Court of the White Dragon, where they live in torment. The mythical creatures of the Otherworld, besides dragons, can include giant snakes, giant birds, spectral hounds, goblins, ogres, and demons. In certain areas, these beasts are considered to be the spirits of those sent to the Court of White Dragon, being transformed into these beasts to live as his minions; however in other areas the beasts are considered to simply be inhabitants of the Otherworld, unrelated to either of the Great Dragons. In Kordynian mythology, several heroes, such as the famous warrior Lleu, travel to the Otherworld in their adventures. Category:Kordowyn Category:Religions